Venus Williams commits to ASB Classic to start 33rd pro season

AUCKLAND, New Zealand — Tennis great Venus Williams plans to play for a 33rd straight season on the WTA Tour, starting in Auckland in January.

Organizers of the ASB Classic in New Zealand said Wednesday that the 45-year-old Williams would feature at their Jan. 5-11 event.

It suggests the seven-time Grand Slam singles champion is preparing for the Australian Open later that month, a tournament she has twice lost in the final.

Williams made her pro tournament debut in 1994 in Oakland, California, and has played at least two WTA events in each season since, the tour said.

She last played in singles at the US Open in August, losing in three sets to 11th-seeded Karolina Muchova in the first round.

Ranked No. 570, Williams is five years older than the next oldest ranked players, Naoko Eto and Bethanie Mattek-Sands.